Mobile, internet services snapped in Kashmir

Srinagar: Mobile telephone and internet services were Friday snapped in Kashmir as authorities apprehended escalation in protests over the anti-Islam video made in the US.

The mobile telephone and internet services were snapped an hour before the Friday prayers, official sources said.

Suspension of the services was a temporary measure aimed at checking rumours about blasphemous material being available on the internet, the sources said.
The state government had yesterday requested the Cyber Law Cell in the Union Information Technology Ministry to block over a dozen websites which were hosting the anti-Islam video.

As the video was still accessible till late in the evening, the state government directed internet service providers and telecom companies to block any such video or its excerpts, the sources said.
The state government in its order passed last night also directed internet services to block `Youtube` and `Facebook` if they are unable to block the blasphemous material due to technical reasons, they said.